Electrical switch.



I. G. WATERMAN.

ELECTRICAL SWITCH.

APPLIGATIQN rum 0011s, 1906. EBNBWBD rma. 2v, 1909.

Patented May 18. 1909.

4 SBEETSwSHBET 1.

l Mlm.

I. G. WATERMAN.

ELECTRICAL SWITCH.

APPLmATxoN rILnD 0cm;4 1906.

RENEWED TBB. 27, 1,909.

Patented May 18, 1909.

@2R31 havane: l

MM latneq I. G. WATERMAN.

ELECTRICAL SWITCH. APPLxoATroN FILED ooms, 190e. Rmmwrm 113.21, 190s.

921 ,761 Patented May 1s .1909.

4 8HBBTS-SHEET 3.

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I. G. WATERMAN.

ELEUTRIGAL SWITCH.

APPLIUATIDN rILBD 00126. 1906. RBNEWED rm. z?. 1909.

annunci',

UNITED sTATiis PATENT onirica.

ISAAC G. WATERMAN, OF SANTA P-ARJARA,r CALIFORNIA.

Enmarcar. swrrcn.

Specification o! Letters Patent.-

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pacman aise come: e; isos, semi Nn. ssi-,via Renewed rebnim 2r, i909. semi No. am

To allwhom it Imay concern:

Be it known that l, lsAAc G. WATERMAN, a

citizen of the `United States, residing at Santa. Barbara, county of Santa Barbara,

and State of` California, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Switches, of which the following;r` is a ecication.

This `inventionrelates to electrical switches i oithat general type disclosed in certain of in [y prior patents, instances of which are Nos. 1 5,016; 775,053,9.mi 775,055, all dared N0- vember 15, 1904, which I have. designated temporary contact. snap sr. itches because the switch contacts engage but momentarily' i or temporarily during operation of the switch, in contradistinction to well-known types of electric switches Where the contacts remain engaged with each other.

The primary object of my tenmorary contact snapl switches being to obtain no more than a temporary or momentary engagement of Athe electrical contacts when the switch is operated and to insure against any such accidental or desi ned manipulation of the switch-operating evices as -will cause the electrical contacts to remain engaged with each other, t'he present invention has for its particular object the provision in a temporary `contact sna switch, of means preventing holding oi t e contacts together or in permanent or relatively permanent engagement regardless of the, manner in n'hicli 'cuit control and and reliable in operation.

the switch-operating means may beinanipu` lated.

Another object'is to provide means Awhich will, on proper manipulation of the operating device, cause the sw itch to automatically operate, without possibility of interruption by the user, to cause the contacts to temporarily engage for such a desired period of time as -longitudinal section on lline 5-5 0f lthe push-button has been pushe coperating in a new and original manner as fully set forth hereinafter and in the claims.

In the accompanying draw'in rs1-Figure 1 is a perspective of the complg Fig. 2,`a longitudinalsection; Iii 33 view of the interior face of the side o the casing nearest the observer in Figs. 2 and 4; Fig. 4, a plan with the casing removed; Fi 5, n ug' .41 showing the parts in normal positions; Fig.

6, a longitudinal section on line 6`6 of 4, showing the parte as they ap rwhen l in almost to the limit' of itsmovement and just prior. to the disengagement of the rocker-and dog; Fig. 7, a side elevation, 'with the 'site m normal osition, looking toward t e side farthest 'om the observer in Fig. 4,thc aida plate of the casing being removed; Fig. 8, a

detail plan ofthe guide casing for theswitcli actuating slide, the spring abutment cap being removed; Fig. 9, a longitudinal section thereof, with the spring abutment cap at tached Fig.- 10, an end elevationV at the lofiI of Fig. 8; Fig. 11, an end elevation at theY right of Fig. 8; Fi 12, a detail plan of the switch-actuating side and its guide casingV associated together in normal ositi'on, an

also showing in section the plunger; Fig. 13, a longitudinal section in dctail of the switch-actuating slide and digf carried thereby; Fig. 13, a .pl-an -view Fig. 13; Fig. ,14, a detail ofthev pushbutton stem and parts carried thereby; Fig. 15'ii peispective of the dog of Figs.13 and13; Fig. 16, an enlarged detail of the switch c ontact, its shaft, and actuatingdeviccscarried by its shaft, shown in disassociated aijran'ef ment but in relative position UF ig. 1'?, a etail view lookinginto the plunger; Fig. 18, a.

.horizontal cross-section fofiFig. 17; Fig. 19, a,

'perspective detail View of the rockerfw'hich etc switch;

ash-'pot and is amted byy the push-button stein; Fig.,

20, a detail view lookin at the face of the four-armed contact, t e outer seciir v means therefor having been removed; a'iii Fig. 21, ay perspective detail Yoi'the station-.f

ary' contacts and the insulating block onV which they are positioned. l

'The case consists of abuse l, sideplates '2 screws V)assing into ears`4 on said side plates, and a s ell' 5 detachably fastened to the base l by screws. i Journaled inthe side plates 2 and V3 a.

ios. and 3 detachably connected theretoj by l shaft 7 having aV reduced portion 8, on which is 'secured a metal collar 9, which is detachably connected by pin 10 to a fiber or insulating Washer 11 on portion 8. There is another ber or insulating washer 12on portion 8, and between the Washers 11 and 12 is a four-armed one-piece metal contact 413 which has an insulating bushing 14 and secured to washerll by in 15. A nut 16 on the screw-threaded 'en of the shaft clamps the parts together. Loose on the opposite side of the collar 9 isa rocker-arm 17 having a. mutilated gear face 18 and a blank face 19. A pawl 20 is pivoted by screw 21 to the outer end .of rocker-arm 17 and is pressed by a sprini,y 22 into engagement with a ratchet whee 23 formed integral with a ear 24 and a mit' 25, all of which are secure( on shaft 7 by a in 26.

A lock 27 of insulating material is secured by suitable screws to the base plate and side 2 adjacent the` latter, and double metal contacts 28 and 29 rise from and are secured to this block in position for the oppositely projecting arms of contact 13 to engage therewith when the switch is actuated. The arms of contact 13 are rounded at 13 so they may readily pass between the respective double contacts 28 and 29. The circuit wires 30 and 31 are connected to the contacts 28 and 29.

To insure a snap action on the parts and insure .that the arms of contact 13 will quickly snap ou-t oi engagement with the contacts 28 and 29, the at springs 32 and 33-Lsee Figs. 3 and 4) are employed, their ends being anchored to side plate 3 at 34 and their free ends 35 bearing on the nut 25, When the contact 13 is turning with shaft 7, the nut 25 s reads the free ends of springs 32 and 33'and) on the release of the operating mechanism, the springs snap the shaft and contact 13 to normal position, giving a quick break of the contact.

Secured to the base 1 is a uide casing 36 having an elongated slotted c amber 37 surmounted and lianked by guides 38 terminating in a shoulder 39. Additional giiides-4() are provided at one end portion of the casing above the guides 38. A keyhole slot or o ening 41 for the reception of tlie end ot t e push-button to be described later, is provided in the casing 36. Detacliably connected to the outer end of the casing 36 is a spring-abutment ca 42.

The numeral 43 t esigiiates a snatch-actu ating slide which has a art 4-1 slidable in uides 38 and provided with a rack 45 mesliing with gear face 18 and also having a headed spiing-abutnient 46 received 1n and fitting chamber 37 Whose neck moves in the slot of said chamber.`

An expansion coil spring 47, located in chamber 37 and having one end received in the abutment cap 42 and its other end bearing against the headedabutment 46 tends to force the actuating slide 43 toward the right,

as shun ii in Fig. 5.

The actuating slide 43 -has a lock-out extension 48, which slides in guides 40 and is provided with a slot 49 extending lengthwise thereof and provided with an offset slot, notch or recess '50, which normally lies in vertical alinement with the straight' part of keyholef slot or opening 41.

Pivoted on a pin 51 in a depression in the slide 43 is a dog 52 having a curved abutment-head 52, Which is adapted to abut the blank pai't 19 of rocker-arm 17 when the push-button, to be described later, is nearly at the limit of its inward movement. The

Vdog has a tail 53 and a curved back 54. A

spring 55 tends to throw the tail of the dog upwardly.

To cushion the return movement of the actuatin rslide as it ismoving from left to right of igs. 5 and 6 and thereby enable the arms of contact 13 to more or less slowly engage the double contacts 28 and 29, there is provided a dash-pot 56 secured to base 1, and. a plunger or piston 57 therein which is secured to extension 48. The plunger 57 is hollow an'd has a detachable bridge 58 having a reduced part 59 adapted to enter the neck-slot 60` of a slot 61 in the end ol exten* sion 48, whereby the plunger is rendered readily detachable. A flap-valve 62 and port 63 are provided, whereby the air may pass freely t rough the plunger and iiito the dash-pot when the slide 43 is moving toward the left of Figs. 5 and 6'so there will be an air cushion for the plunger when the actuating slide is returning to normal position under the influence of spring 47 which will retard,

more or less, the engagement of tlie contact 13 with contacts 28 and 29 and insure a sul ficiently lengthy, though only .temporary or momentary, engagement of said contacts and cause an electrical current of proper duration to flow; the air escapes around the plunger during this return movement tliei'eot'.

Attached to a rock-shaft 64 journaled iii the side-plates 2 and 3, is a rocker 65 which has a clevis 66 at the end of one of its arms and its other arm is inucli narrower and provided with a toe G?, which is adapted to engage the tail 53 of dog 52, as shown in Figs. 2, 5, 6 and 7, but this engagement is reieiised when tlie abutiiieiit-liead 52"'l of the dog strikes the blank part 19 oi rocker-arm 17. A coi! s ring 68 eiicircles` the shaft 64 and is ciigageiwtii the rocker and with the sideplate 2, said spring tending to hold the rocker iii the position shown in'Fig. 5.

Bridging the side-plates 2 and 3 is a crosspiece 69 which has a round o ening tlierethrough to guide a cylindiica push-button or stein 70, whose lower end is slidable through the slot 49 and in the round part of the opening 4]. ,This push-button or stem .has an outwardly spring-actuated pivoted ydog'v 71, which is of'a size to pass through the ,Y oi'fsetnotch or recess 50 and into the oilset part of keyhole.` slot or opening 41. when said slots ,are in register, which is only when all ol' theparts are in normal position, as shown in Fig. l Atall other times the notch 50 is out of alinement With'the oilset part of keyhole 'lo slot 41 and hence, assuming that the push` l l button has been depressed so that the dog 71,

f islbelow thc lock-out extension 4.3, the said extensionprevents the push-button from rising. T he push-button, if raised, can be delppressed, regardless of the position ol the parts, because the dog` 71 will simply ride x past and be depressed by the margin of the slot 49, butwhen the dog 71 is below the extension 43, the push-button cannot rise unfao less said extension is in normal osition.

The )usb-button has its o i :iositc sides flattenc at 72 Where it is stradd 66 ol' the rocker 65 and a transverse pin 73 carried by the )usb-button stem bears on the said end oi' the rocker, in consequence of which Whenl the push-buttonstem is depressed, the4 rocker 65 Will move, while the lspringt@ causes the rocker 65 to follow the pushsbutton stem; in its upward movement. Journaled in the side-plates 2 and 3 is a shaft 7 4 :whiclrcarries a pinion 75 meshing with: gear 24Yand this shaft also carries rotar f indicator bear-in plates 76 and 77 on which appear the Wors'HGn and Oil which are adapted to appear through a sight opening 7S Vin' the shell or ca'se 5 toindicate whether the electrical valve (with which this switchV is particularly adapt-ed fr use) is open or closed. The indicator may bear any '40 suitable indicia according to the use to which the switch is put.

'Assuming the parts .to be in the normal position shown in Fig. 5, on depressing the push-button stem '70, the rocker 65 is moved,

and by its engagement with the tail 53 of the dog 52 Which is carried by the slide 40, shifts tlieslideand pai ts carried thereby to the left (of'Fig, 5) against the pressure of the spring l 47. rlhis movement, on account of the en fcgagemcnt of rack 45 with gear face 18, turns the rocker-arm 17 and drags the pawl 20 i' over the ratchet wheel 23, but it' the pushbutton stem is not de4 ressed until the dog 71 *I Y passes below the loc -out extension 48, the

`55 shaft 7 will not be turned and, consequently,

i the contact 13 will not be turned and no electrical completion of the circuit controlled by the switch will be made, und on the release ofthe push-button stem 70, thc parts will return to normalpositicn. ll',- however,

the pushfbutton stein '/'Ovis completely depressed so that the dog 7l passes below the lock-outV extension 48, the movement of the rocker will have been sufficient to shift the o5 slide 43 beyond the position-shovynn Fig. `6,

led by the clevis whereupon the abutment-head 52 of the dog 52 will strike against the blank part 19 of thc rocker-arm 17, and this action will cause the do); to be tilted or depressed against the pressure ol' its spring so the tail 53 will snap out of engagement with thc dog 67, thus eomplcicly releasing the actuatingr slide 43 and all parts except the push-button stem 7() and the rocker-G5, so that the parts of the switch, except parts (i5 and 70, are entirely out ofthe control oi the operator. When the parts have been brought to the position described V(which is a little farther to the left than shown in Fig. 6) the pawl 2() will have been brought to a positionwhere it can engageoneof the teeth ol the ratchet wheel 23, and hence when the parl s are released as above described, the sp ring 4 7 which has been previously placed under compression, as shown in Fig` 6 Will expand an return the actuating slide 43 to the normal position shown ilrFig. 5, and in so doing, the shaft 7 will be turned and opposite arms of contact 13 will pass into enga'gemeintl with the double stationary contacts 28 and 29, but on account of the empio ment of the dash-pot 56 and plunger 57 wor ving therein, the return movement ofthe parts is cush ioned by the air which has lpassed into the dash-pot throueh the valve in the plunger when the switc il Was bein iirst operated- This cushioning action ena les the arms of contact 13 to remain in engagement with the double contact-s 28 and 29 a sufiiciently long period to insure proper electrical energizetion of the circuit and of the device, such as anelectrical valve, included in said circuit, but it Will be understood thatthe engagement oi' the contacts is only momentary or temporary and that the arms of contact 13 pass entirely out-of engagement with the double contacts 28 and 29. VWhen the arms of contact 13 are about ready to pass out of engagement with contacts 28 and 29, the spring-arms 32 and 33, which have been spread apart by the turning of the nut 25, snap against opposite faces of said nut and give a quick (isengagement or sna i action separat-ion of the arms of contact. 13 l1om the contacts 28 and 29, thus obviating s arking. The dog 71 having passed below the ook-out extension 48, when the abutment-head 52 strikes the blank part` 19of rocker-arm 17 and thus disengages the tail of the dog from the too 67, the push-button stem 7U and the rocker 65 continue to remain in depressed position and hence no manipulation of the push-button stem can affect the action of tho parts in'ijeturning to normal positions and, therefore, 'the temporary engagement of the electricalcontacts is insured and is not subject to the control of the operator so that neither by accident or design can the contacts be held in engagement. When the arts are returnin lto normal position as lieretofore describe the toe 67 passes tio-the side nearest the observer of the abutmenthead 52, and hence does not catch on any art of the dog ."2. Immediately the parts lave regained their normal positions, the oil'- se-t notch 5() comes into register with thc oll set part of tho keyhole slot 4 l,`and the dlig 7i boing then in alinoanf-in with bot-l1 notches aforesaid, the spring (5R returns the rocker 65 and the push-button stem to the normal positions shown in Fig. 5, thel toe 67 riding over the tail 53 and slightly depressing it and' then snapping inie engagement with said tail, as shown in Fig. 5,

VHaving thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:---

1. ln an electrical switch, the combination with relatively movable electrical contacts adapted for temporary engagement only, oi' means for causing only .momentary or tcmporary engagement of said. contacts when they are relatively actuated, and actuating means which prevents the contacts from remaining in engagement with each other.

2. ln an electrical. switch the'combination with relatively movable electrical contacts adapted for tempdrarlyA engagement only, of means for causing on y momentary or tcm porary engagement of said contacts when they are relatively actuated, and hand-o erated actuating means which prevents tie lcontacts from remaining in engagement wi th each other.

3. ln an electrical switch, the combination with relatively movable electrical contacts adapted for tenniorary engagement only, of a puslrhutton stem, and menns for relatively actuating the contacts from the push-button stem to cause them to only momentarily or temporarily engage each other and which also prevents the contacts from remaining in engagement with each other.

4. In an electrical switch, the combination with relatively movable electrical contacts adapted for temporary engagement only, of means for relatively actuating said contacts to cause them to only momentarily or temporarily engage each other, and autoroutieally locked-out means for operating the actuating means aforesaid.

5. ln an electrical switch, the combii A.lion with relatively movalile electrical contacts adapted for temporary engagement only, of means for relatively actuating said contacts to cause them to only momentarily or 'telnpornrily engage each other, means for settinff said actuating means for operation, am means for releasing and locking ont the setting means aforesaid.

6. In an electrical switch the combination with relatively movable electrical contacts adapted for temporary engagement only, of a. push-button stem, means for relatively airtuating the contacts to cause them to onl momentarily or temporarily engage caer other, means for settii f the actuating means by the movement of t 1e push-button stem, means for automatically releasing the actuating means aforesaid, and means for locki out the push-button stem until the parts have completed their cycle of operation, whereby when the actuating means have been set, the cycle of o erations will be carried out without. possi ilitiy of interference by manual manipulation of the push-button stem.

7. ln an electrical switch, the combination with relative] y movable electrical contacts adapted for engaffcment, of means for rel-atively actuating lrhe contacts to cause them to only mmnentarily or temporarily engage each other, automatically locked-out means for operating the actuating means aforesaid, and a cushioning device for insuring relie tively slow movement of the actuating means. i

S. ln an electrical switch, the combination with relatively movable electrical contacts ada `ted for engagement, of means for relatively actuating the contacts to cause them to only momentarily or temporarily engage each other, automatically locked-out means for operating the actuating means aforesaid, and a dash-pot und plunger for insuring relatively slow movement of the actuating means.

9. .ln an electrical switch the combination with relatively movable electrical contacts adapted for engagement, ol means for causing a relatively slow momentary or tcmporary movement of the electrical contact-s while they are in engagement, and means for imparting :i relative y quicker or snap action to the contacts as they disengagc from each other.

10. ln an electrical switch, the combination with an electrical contact', of a rotary contact arranged to only momentarily -or temporarily engage the contact aforesaid when the switch is operated, men-ns for rotating said rotary contact relatively slowly as it nmmentarily or tenp'arily engages the electrical contact hist-named, and means for imparting e. relatively quicker or snap action t0 the rotary contact as it passes out of engagement with the other contact.

' 11. In an electrical switch, the combines tion with relatively movable electrical contacts adapted for temporary enga ement only, ol' means for causing a relative y slow momentary or temporary movement ol' the electrical contacts while they are engaged and for preventing them from remaining in engagement with each other; and means for imparting a relative snap action to the contacts as they disengage from each other.

l2. In an electrical switch, the oombina tion with an electrical contact, of a. rotary contact ada ted to engage the contact aforesaid, a rate et wheel rotating with the ro- 30 independently spring-retracted hand-opertary contact, `a rocker-arm, apawl adaptedI to eiigagetlie ratchet wheel, a spring-retracted actuating meinber for rocking. the rockeraiiii aforesaid, 'a hand-operated member, automatically released means for setting the actuating member from the liand-operated .i'iiember, and means for locking out the hand-operated member alter the actuating member has been set and until said actuating member returns to normal position,

13. In an electrical switch, the combination with relatively movable electrical contacts adapted for only momentary or temporary engagement with eachother when actuated, of a spring-retracted actuating member `for relatively moving the contacts, an independently spring-retracted hand-operated member, automatically released means for setting the actuating member 'from the hand-operated member, and means for lock ing out the hand-operated member after the actuating member has been set and until said actuating member has returned to normal position.

14. In an electrical switch, tlie'combination with relatively movable electrical contacts adapted for only momentary or temporary engagement with each other when ac` tuated, of a s ring-retracted actuating member Vfor relatively moving the contacts, an

ated member.. automatically released means for setting the actuating Amember from the hand-operated member, means for locking out the handfoperatel member after the actuating member has )een set and until said actuating member has returned to normal position, and a cushioning device for check- 111g or slowing the return movement of the actuating member.

`15. In an electrical switch, the combination with relatively movable electrical com tacts adapted ior'oiily momentary or temporary engagement with each ot her when actuated, of a spring-retracted actuating niember for relatively moving the contacts, an independently spring-retracted hand-operated member, automatically released means for setting the actuating member from the hand-operated member, means l'or locking f out the hand-operated member after the actuating member has been set and until said actuating member has retin-1rd ro normal position, a cushioning device for rlieilring or slowing the return movement of the actuating member, and means for imparting a rela-` tive quick or snap action to the movable conn tacts as they disengage from each other.

In testimony whereof, l hereunto affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ISAAC G. WATERMAN. Witnesses: V

Louis RABUT, CHARLES RABUT. 

